Retort-charging apparatus.



No. 894,119. PATENTED JULY 21, 1908. H. CROCKBR.

RETORT CHARGING APPARATUS. I

APPLICATION FILED DEG.3, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 804,119. PATENT-ED JULY 2l, 1908.

' H. GROCKER. RETORT CHARGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEU.3,1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mlentnr 110.894,119. PATBATED JULY 21, 1908. 11. 01100111111. RETORT CHARG1NG APPARATUS.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

APPLICATION FILED DEU.3

-f f; tical plane.

HARRY cRooKER, or IoLA, KANSAS.

RETORT-C'HARGING APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

ratented July 2'1, 190s.

Application filed December 3, 1906. `SeiialIN'o. 346,133.

n To cll whom it may concern:

.Be 1t known that I, HARRY CRocKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at lola,

in the county of Allen and State of Kansas,

have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Retort-Charging` Apparatus, of whlch the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements inV retort charging apparatus, such as are employed in smelters for treating ore.

'lhe object of m' inventionis to provide an apparatus by W `icha large number of retorts .may be economically and quickly charged.' y

My invention is particularly adapted for use-1n connection with retorts so assembled.

as to form a battery comprising horizontal .and vertical rows, the mouths of the retorts being disposed substantially in the-same ver- My invention rovides la car adapted to travel transversel) the said car carrying retort charging means which is vertically adjustable on the car so that the charging means ymay successively charge the vertical rows of retorts.

The novel `features of my invention are hereinafter 4fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a means of carrying my invention into effect- Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus, a port-ion of the front end of a battery of retorts also beingshown. In this View' are illustrated twov posilions of the ap- 1 Daratus, one position being s own in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the apparatus, shown disposed in front of a battery of retorts. Fig. 3 is a plan view, enlarged, of a portionof the reftort charging mechanism and parts connected therewith.

Fig. 4 is a top view, partly broken away, of a portion of the apparatus, andshowing one of the retort charging. means connected with a retort. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sec- ..3 tional view,'taken on the dotted line a-b of Fig. 1 Fig. 6 is avertical sectional view taken on the dotted line c-d of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of thecharging tubes and feed screw, taken on :.0 the dotted linee-f of 4.' Fig. 8 is a section taken on the dotted line of Fig. 6.I

horizontal sectional view taken-on the dotted line g-h of Fig. 6. Fig.' 9 is a vertical cross Fig. is a cross section tal-:en on the dotted line c-l of Fig. 3.

y in front of the retorts,l

lar parts.

1 denotes a -plurality of retorts arranged in a battery comprising a series of vertical and horizontal rows. VIn front of these retorts and disposed transversely thereto is a track 2 on which is mounted a horizontally movable car 3. Rigidly secured at their lower ends to said car 3 are fourvertical osts 4 having secured to their upper ends a horizontal plate 5. Between said posts 4 is a: support comprising a framework consisting of two transverse parallel plates 6 and 7, secured to each otherV by means of four upright posts 8. On the plate 6 are mounted onefor more tracks comprising each two parallelrails 9 dis osedl transversely tosthe track- 2. lThe rags 9 have referably a slight inclination vupward toward the battery of retorts. 011 each pair of rails 9 is mounted a second car 10. Each car 10 .A carries a retort charging mechanism hereinafter described. To prevent the cars 10 from rising from the rails 9, each car Ihas secured to its upper side the lower ends of four upwardly extending posts 11, to the upper ends of which are rotatively secured, one on each post, a lurality ofwheels 12, which bear respective? of rails 13, secured to the under side of the plate 7, parallel with the'rails 9. As shown 1n Figs. 4 and 5, a conductor comprising Va cylindrical tube 114, is reciprocatively mounted arallel with the late 7 and intermediate t e plates 6 and 7 in the upper end of each bearing 15, of which there are two,

vwhich are secured to the upper side of the plate 6. The said bearings are disposed respectively adjacent the up er ends of the two tracks formed by the rails 9. The forward or outer end of eachl tube 14 is adapted to be connected with the mouth of any one of the retorts 1.v The tubes 14 are disposed parallel with the rails 9 and have telescope connection respectively with the forward ends of two tubes lprovided each adjacent its rear end and on`its upper side witha feed opening 17, to which is connected a hopper 18, into which the ore forming-the charge is ted. The lower ends of the tubes 16 are secured respectively upon the cars 10. Rotatively mounted in said tubes 16 respectively, are ejes-ting means comprising preferably two longitudinal feed screws 19, the rear'ends of which are rotatively mounted y upon the under sides respectively in two bearings secured one upon each car 10.

I will now describe the mechanism by which the feed screws 19 are rotatedz-As shown in Fig. 3, on the up 'er side of the plate 6 is mounted any suit-a le motor, such as -an electric motor 21, to the armature shaft 22 of which is connected a belt 23, mounted on a pulley 24, securedto a horizontal shaft 25,'rotat-ively mounted in upright bearings 26, which are mounted upon the plate 6.- Adjacent opposite ends of the shaft 25 are secured respectively two pairs ofl sprocket wheels 27, each air having mounted thereonv two chain be ts 28 whichl are disposed side by side parallel with the adjacent tube 16. Opposite 4ends of each pair of belts 28 are mounted respectively on two sprocket wheels 29, rotatively mounted on a horizontal stud 30, secured to a post 31,

' extending upwardly from and having its lower end secured to the upper side of the plate 6. To the upper side of each car 10 is secured a horizontal plate 32, upon which are mounted two bearlngs 33, in which is rotatively mounted a horizontal transverse shaft 34, having rigidly secured to it, two sprocket wheels 35, which respectively engage the two adjacent belts 28, which belts, through the sprocket wheels 35, impart rotation to the shaft 34. Said. shaft 34 has secured upon it,.on the end adjacent the adjacent car 10, a bevel gear wheel 36, which meshes with a bevel glar wheel 37, rotatively mounted on an uprig t post 38 secured upon the car 10. On the stem of each feed screw 19, to the rear of each tube 16, is a longitudinally slidable sleeve 39, which is provided on its inner side with a longitudinal groove in which is'mounted a key 40 fitted in a corresponding longitudinal groove in the eriphery of the stem `of the feed screw 19. The rear end of the` sleeve 39 is conical and fitted to -a correspondingly shaped recess in the forward end of the bevel gear wheel 37. Said gear wheel andsaid sleeve form a friction clutch by which the rotation of the gear 37 may be imparted to the feed screw 19. Hereinafter I will describe the mechanism for throwing the sleeve 39 in and out of engagement with the bevel gear 37.'

As before stated the tubes 14 are each longitudinally reciprocative in the bearings 15. The object of such reciprocation is to permit the tubes to be brought forward so as to engage themouths of the retorts' 1 when the retorts are to be charged, 'and to permit the said tubes to be'retracted from said retorts, to enable the car 3 to be moved horizontally to the next row of retorts, or to enable the vertical adjustment of the support carrying the cars 10.v Pivoted to the plate 6 below the tubes 14 respectively and to the rear of the bearin s 15. respectively are twov upwardl exten ing levers 41, said levers having each a transverse holev througlh which extends the adjacent tube 14. Eac tube 14is provided at o posite sides with l projections 42 dispose respectively in longitudinal slots 43 provided 1n the lever 41 which embraces said tube.

Secured to the upper side of the plate 7 are two vertical plates 44 each having arcuate notched u per edges ada ted to be engaged res ective y by twopaw s 45 pivoted'one to eac of two levers 46, the lower ends of which are ivoted respectively' to the plates 44. Two and holds 47 are pivoted one to each lever 46. Two links 48 are pivoted at their upper ends to the handholds 47 respectively, the lower ends of said links bein' pivoted to the awls 45 respectively. The evers 41 extend) through two slots in the plate 7', said slots being denoted by 49. Two rods 50 are connected at their forward ends to the upper .Y

ends of said levers 41. respectively, ythe rear ends pf said rods 50 being pivoted respectivel to the two levers 46. .By reciprocating tfie levers 46, the tubes"14 may be moved forward and backward for engagement with and disengagement from the retorts 1.v The pawls 45 engaginghthe plates 44 retain the levers 46 fixed 1n t e positions in which they may be laced.` By properly swinging the handhol 47, the awls may be released from the teeth in t e upper edges of the plates 44. Two vertical plates 51 are secured to the sides of the cars 10 respectively. Each of said lates is provided with a horizontal arm 52 wfiich extends laterally and is provided with a depending projection 53 which is disposed between the upper sides ofv the two adjacent belts 28. Two horizontal bars 54 are mounted one each between the belts 28 of each pair of chai-n belts, the ends of each bar 54 being secured to opposite ones of the belts of each pair. When a pair of the belts 28 are driven 1n the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, the bar 54 carried by said pair of belts will engage the pro'ection 53 disposed between said belts an will force the adjacent car 10 forward and upward on its track toward the retorts 1. The tubellcarried by said car 10 will be moved forward len thwise, together with the screw 19 in sai tube, in the adjacent tube 14. If prior to this ore has been fed into the tube 16 through the feed opening 17, and the screw 19 has previously been rotated so as to force the ore forward, the tube 16 will have been filled with ore. now the tube 16, after being forced forward in the tube 14 is retracted,

and at the same time the feed screw 19 is'rotort 1 to which the 4forward end of the tube` 14 is at that time connected. lI have described how the tube 16 lis forced forward, and now I will describe how the tube 16 and car,'10 carrying said tube is moved downward and rearward away from the retorts 1.

On each car 10 is mounted the following described mechanism, so that a description of one' of said mechanisms will suffice for both.

On the car 10 is provided a bearing 55 to which,I is pivoted an upright lever 56, the upper end v will be swung forward at its up er end, thus reti-acting the sleeve 39 out o engagement with the adjacent bevel gear 37. The following described mechanism is `provided to' swing the lever 56 in the opposlte direct-ion, or the one in which the sleeve 39 will be forced into engagement with the hub of the gear wheel 37. Pivoted near its center to the plate 51 is a lever 60, tothe lower end of which is secured one end of a cord 61, which cord passes from said lever rearwardly7 to a pulley 62 mounted on the under side of the car 10, thence transversely and horizontally to a pulley 63, also rotatively mounted on the underside of the car 10, thenced over the pulley 63 and rearward to the lower end of the lever 56 to which it is secured. As soon as the car 1() has moved forward so that the tube 16 and feed screw 19 therein acting together as a piston, will have forced the charge out of the tube 14 into the adjacent retort,

the bar 54 will pass over the sprocket suporting stud 30 and will be carried by the Eelts 28 below and out of engagement with the adjacent projection 55 with which said bar 54 has been engaged during the forward movement of the car 10. As soon as the bar 54 passes rearward of the stud 30 it will strike the up er vend of the leiver 60, which' at this time wilihave arrived just to rear of the sprocket wheels 29, as denoted by dotted lines in Fig. 6. The lever will have been swung forward at its up er end by the s ring 58 and cord 61, the seeve 39 thus eing moved forward out of engagement with the hub of the bevel gear 37. As the bar 54 strikes the lever 60 the lever will be swung by said bar to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 6, and thereby forcing the sleeve 39 into engagement with` the hub of the bevel gear 37, as before described. The feed screw 19 will thus be rotated in a direction such that the ore will be forced-forward toward the retort in the tube 16. As the bar .54 is carried rearward by the chains 28 to whlch 1t is attached, the car 10 which has been moved forward will be moved rearward, the lever 60 being held by the bar -54 lin the position `shown in solid lines in Fig.` 6, and the feed screw thereby being rotated will cause the ore to be discharged into vthe tube I14 as the car 1,0 and tube 16 are retracted by the pressure of the bar 54 on the lever 60.

To release the bar 54 from the lever 60 when Athe car 10 has been retracted to the position shown in Fig. 6, the following described mechanism is provided. Two upright posts 64 are secured at their lower ends to the u per side of the plate 6, said posts 64 being dlsposed respectively adjacent the sides of the cars 10 to whichtare Secured the plates 51'. To the upper end of each post- 64 on the side adjacent the plate 51 are secured the ends of two horizontal studs 65 and 66 onwhich are rotatively mounted respectivel two rollers 67 and 68 disposed so that the ower part of the belts 28 run between and respectively upon the lower side of the roller67 and upon the upper side of the roller 68. The rollers 67 and 68 are so disposed thatwhen the upper end of the lever 60 passes below the roller 67, the chain belts which at this place incline rearward `and upward, at their lower parts, will carry the bar 54 above the lever 60, thus releasing the car 10 from the rearward im# pelling movement of the chain belts 28, and the car will be brought to rest by chock blocks 69 disposed so as to strike the rear wheel of the car 10, said chock blocks being secured onel to each rail 9. As the lever 60 is released from the bar 54, said lever will be swung forward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, by the spring 58 and .cord 61, said spring also swinging the lower end of the lever 56 so as to disengage the sleeve 39 from the hub of the gear 37, and rotation of the feed screw 19 will thus be discontinued until before described.

In order that t-he cars 10 may be moved -`forward and backward, the plate 7 is provided with two openings 70 through which the hoppers 18 extend, said openings being long enough parallel with the track rails 9 to permit the desired forward and rearward movement of said cars 10.

I will now describe the mechanism by which the support carrying the retort charging means is vertically adjusted on the car 3 so that the horizontal rows of retorts may be successively charged. l

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 71 denotes four ropes secured at one set of ends to the plate 7, said ropes passing from the plate 7 upward and over four pulleys 72 respectively, which pulleys are rotatively mounted in the plate 5. Attached to the other endsof said ropes respectively are four weights 73 which serve to substantially lcounterbalanee the weight of the support for vthe car 10 has been again moved forward as the retort charging means and the a paratus carried by said support. Secure plate 7 at their lower ends are four ropes 74 which pass u ward from the plate 7 to and over four pu eys 7 5` respectively' rotatively mounted in the late 5 near the posts 4 respectively. Sai ropes 74 pass horizontally from the pulleys 75 to and over four pulleys 76 rotatively mounted in the plate 5 near its central portion..b From the pulleys 76 said ropes extend downward and are secured at their lower ends to the periphery of a drum 77 rotatively mounted in vertical bearings 78 secured to `the up er side of the plate 7. The drum 77 is provi ed with a crank arm 79 by which the drum may be rotated to wind A or unwind the ropes 74 for the purpose of raising or lowering the support comprising the plates 6 and 7 and posts 8. Secured to one end of the drum 77 isy an axiall mounted ratchet wheel 80 the teeth of which are en-' gaged by a pawl 81 pivoted to one of the supports or bearings 78 and b vmeans of whichthe drum is releasably hel against rotation in one direction.

' In operating my invention the. .car 3 is moved along the track 2 to a position-in which the two tubes 1 4 are disposed in vertical alinement 'with two vertical rows ofretorts, preferablyA the two -vertical rows atv the right, as viewed in Fig. 2; The crank arm 79 is then rotated.. in a direction such that the supporting plates 6 and 7 and the ap aratus carried thereby will be moved vertica vinto a position in'which the two tubes 14 will be in alinement with ,the lower row' of retorts 1. The levers 46 arethen swung so as to engage the forward' ends ofthe tubes 14 with the first tworetorts .at'the right in the lower row, as viewed in Fi 2. In the meantime the tubes 16 will haveeen filled with ore as before described. The-motor21 is then started again, thus drivin bothr` sets lof chain belts 28,

which belts y means of the bars.54 attached thereto will engage the projections 53 andforce both cars'10 forward, thus forcing' the'v charges from the tubes 14 into the twore-y A i torts with which the tubes 14 are at this time I respectively connected. The bars 54 will then engage thelevers 60,'thus forcing the cars 10 rearward and at tha same time ,causing the feed screws 19 to rotate and force fresh charges into the tubes-14 from the tubes 16 as the tubes 16 are retracted rearward. When` the cars 10 have reached the chock blocks 69, the bars 54 willhavebeenreleased from the levers 60, and rotation of the feed screws 19 will cease. The motor 21 is then stopped, and the levers 46 are swung so as to retract the tubes' 14 from engagement with the two retorts. -The car 3 is'then moved Vto U the left, as -viewed in Fig. 2,-until the tubes 1 4 are disposed in vertical alinement respectively wlthvthe next two vertical consecutive rows, after which the operation justdescribed is re eated. These operations are continued unt' all of the retorts in the lower row have been charged, after which the drum 77 is rotated so as to elevate the charging mechanisms into horizontal alinement with the next higher horizontal ,row of retorts. The retorts in this row are then charged in the manner already described, the car 3 being moved charging mechanisms eing elevated one row at the end of each horizontal row.

As the retorts are char ed their mouths maiy be covered with suita le closures, such as re clay caps 82, two of which are shown in Fig. 1.

suitable brakes ofv ordinary construction, shoes 83 of which onl are shown in Fig. 6.

' Having thus descri ed my invention, what I claim and desireto secure -by yLetters Patent, is

n 1. The. combination with a horizontally movable car, of a support mounted on said car, an inclined vtrack on said support, a second car mounted on said`track, and a retort charging means`carried by said second car. v

2. The vcombination with a horizontally car, means for vertica ly moving said support on said car, an inclined track on said support, a second car mounted on said track, and a yretort charging means carried by said second car.

3'. The combination with av horizontally movable car, of a support mounted on said car, `an inclined track mounted on said support transversely to the path of movement of said car, a second car mounted on said track, and a retort charging means vcarried by the second car. t I

l4.v The combination with a horizontally movable car, of a su port mounted on said car, means for vertica ly moving said support on said caran inclined track on said support sai car, a second carmounted on said track, and a retort charging means carried by the second car.

5. The combination with a conductor adaptedto connect with the mouth of a retort, of a reciprocative device, means fonreci rocating said device, means by which when said device is moved in one direction a charge is deposited in said conductor, and means by which when said device is moved inthe opposite direction said charge is discharged from said conductor.

6. The combination .with a ,conductor adapted to connect with the mouth of a`re- The cars 10 may be provided with any movable car, of a su port mounted on said dis osed, ,transversely to the movement ofv alternately to the ri ht and left, and the tort, of a car carrying said conductor, and

meansby whichwhen said car is moved to and fro said conductor is alternately charged and discharged. v

7. The combination with a conductor adapted to connect with the mouth of arefirst tube and provi ed with a feed opening,

first tube and provided With a feed opening, a

tort, of a car carrying said conductor;'means for moving said car to land fro, and means by which when said car is so moved said conductor will alternately vbe charged and discharged.

8` The combination with a conductor adapted to be connected lwith the mouth of a retort, of a car carrying said conductor, means for moving said car to and fro, means by'which when said jear is'so moved the conductor will-be alternately charged and dis! charged, and 'means `or moving said conductor lengthwise. Y

9. The combination with"a car movable horizontally, of Aa second car carried by the first and movable transversely to the m0ve, ment of the first car, a conductor carried'by the iirst car and'adapted to be connected withthe mouth of a retort, and means' by which when said second car 1s moved to and fro on the first car the conductor will be alternately charged and discharged.v

10. Thefcombination'with a car movable horizontally, of a support mounted on said car, a conductor carried by-said sup' ort, a second c'ar movableto and fro on the st car transversely to the movement of the firstcar, means for so moving the second car, and means by which when said second car is moved to and fro said conductor will alternately be charged and discharged.

11. The combination with acar movable horizontally, Vof a suy ort mounted on said car, means for verticali) y moving said su port on said car, a conductor carried by sai support and adapted to be connected with-the mouth of a' retort, a second car movable to and fro on said support transversely to the movement of the first car, means for so moving said second car, and means by which when said second car is so moved the con'- ductor will be alternately charged and discharged.

1 2. In retort charging mechanism, the combination with a tube adapted to be connected with the mouth of a retort, of asecond tube having telesco ic connection with the ejecting means in the second tube, means for reciprocating the second tube, and means by which when the second tube is' being moved in one direction, the ejecting means will be operated.

13. In retort charging mechanism, the combination with a tube adapted to be connected with the mouth of a retort, of a second tube having telescopic connection `with ythe feed screw disposed longitudinally in the second tube, means for reciprocating the second tube lengthwise, and means by which whenV thes'econdtube' is moved lengthwise in one direction the feed screw will be rotated.

14. In retort charging mechanism, the coma feed o binationA with two tubes vreci rocatively mounted one in the other, one o said tubes ening and the other/adapted t'o bev connecte with the -mouth of a retort, a feed screw mounted in the inner one of said tubes, and means for rotatin `saidfeed screw.

' 15. In retort charging mec anism, the combination with two tubes reciprocatively 'mounted oneiu the other, one havin a feed opening and the other adapted to e connected with the mouth of a retort, means for separately reciprocating said tubesy le thwise, a feed screw disposed lengthwise in the tube having the feed opening, and means for rotating said feed screw.

16. In a retort charging mechanism, the combination with a car movable horizontally, of a support carried bysaid car, two tubes reciprocatively mounted one in the other, one tube having a feed openin and the other adapted to econnected witIi the mouth of a retort, said tubes being each reciprocative 'lengthwise on said support transversely to the movement of said car, means for reciprocating saidtubes in said manner, an ejecting means mounted in the tube having the feed opening, and means by which when the tube having the feed opening is moved lengthwise in one direction, the ejecting means will be operated.

17. In a retort charging mechanism, the combination with a car movable horizontally, of a support carried by said car, two tubes one reclprocative in the other, one tube hav ing a feed opening, -the other heini?T adapted to be connected with the mouth o a retort, ejecting means mounted in the tube which is -reciprocative, means for reciprocatingsaid reciprocative tube lengthwise, and means by which when said reciprocative tube is moved lengthwise in one direction, A.the ejecting means will be o erated.

18. The com ination with a horizontally movable car, of a support carried by said car, a tubeA carried by said support, a track mounted on said support transversely to the movement of said car, a second car on said track, a tube mounted on said second car and having a feedo ening and telesco 1c connection with the st tube, means or reciprocating the second car, ejecting means carried in thesecondtube, .and means by which when the second car is moved in one direction on its track the ejecting means is o erated.

' 19. The combination with a orizontally movable car, of a support carried by sald car,

me'ans for vertically moving said support, a tube carried by said support, a track mounted on said support transversely to the movement of said car, a second car on said track, a

tube carried by the second car, having a feed -openin and telescopic connection with Athe first tube, means for reciprocating the second car, ejecting means carried in the second tube, and means by which when the second car is moved on its trackin one direction, the ej ecting means is operated.

20. The combination with a horizontally movable car, of a support carried by said car, means forvertically moving said support on said car, a tube having a feed opening, an ej ecting means carried in said tube, a second car mounted onsaid su port for reciprocating said tube transverse y to the movement of the car, means for reciprocating the second car on said su port transversely to the movement ofthe rst car, ejecting means in said tube, and means by which the ejecting means is operated when the second car is moved on said su ort in one direction.

21. 'lge combination with a horizontally movable car, of a support mounted on said car, a second car transversely movable on the said support, ay tube carried-by the second car and aving a feed opening to receive the charge, a feed screw mounted in said tube, means for reciprocating the second car on said support, and means for rotating said feed screw when the second car is moved in one direction on said support.

22. They combination with a'horizontally movable car, of a support on said car, means for vertically moving said support, a second car movable on said support transversely to the "movement of the rst car, means for reciprocating said second car, a tube carried by the second car and having a feed opening to receive the char e, a feed screw mounted lengthwise in sai tube, and means for rotati ing the feed screw when the second car is moved on its su ort in one direction.

23. The com mation with a horizontally movable car, ofa support on said car, meansv for vertically moving said support, a second car movable on said support transversely to the movement of the first car, means for reciprocating the second car, a tube mounted on said support, means for reciprocating said tube lengthwise on said support, a second tube having telescope connectionv with the name to this specication in presence of two l subscribing witnesses.

' HARRY CROCKER. Witnesses: f

E. B. HOUSE, .WARREN D. HOUSE.

said feed screw when thesecond L f 

